§ Mr. EdenMay I ask the Leader of the House if he has any statement to make on the business for next week?
§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)Yes, Sir. The business for next week will be as follows:
MONDAY, 11TH DECEMBER—Second Reading of the Livestock Rearing Bill, and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution:
Remaining stages of the Administration of Justice (Pensions) Bill;
539 Motions to approve the Agriculture (Special Directions) (Maximum Area of Pasture) Extension of period Order, and a similar Order for Scotland.
TUESDAY, 12TH DECEMBER—A debate will take place on the Coal situation. [HON. MEMBERS: "On what?"] The coal situation, that will be a chance for hon. Members to get warmed up.
WEDNESDAY, 13TH DECEMBER—Second Reading of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Protection) (Scotland) Bill, and Committee stage of the necessary Money Resolution.
Consideration of Amendments to the Restoration of Pre-War Trade Practices Bill; and to the Reinstatement in Civil Employment Bill, which are expected to be received from anothr place.
The business for Thursday, 14th December will be announced later.
If the necessary business has been disposed of, it is hoped to adjourn on Friday, 15th December, for the Christmas Recess until Tuesday, 23rd January.
As the House is aware, provision already exists for the House to be recalled if an earlier meeting should be necessary in the public interest.
§ Mr. EdenMay I ask if the right hon. Gentleman is aware—I know he is—that Tuesday's debate is to take place at the request of the Opposition, and we propose to put a Motion down so that the debate can take place?
In regard to Thursday, if it were for the convenience of the House—and that can be arranged through the usual channels—as presumably the Prime Minister will be making a statement to the House on his return, we had in mind that perhaps it might be convenient to have a general debate, not on the date of the statement but 48 hours later, or after some convenient interval, so that we may consider what the Prime Minister has to say before we have any formal debate upon it.
§ Mr. MorrisonOn the first point, I note the intention of the Opposition. If the right hon. Gentleman will let us have that as soon as possible, we can examine it and see what is the best way to handle the matter. As to his second point about the statement of the Prime Minister on his return from Washington, and the de 540 sirability of a debate after a 48-hour interval, I sympathise with the right hon. Gentleman. I should like it to happen so, but I cannot be sure on exactly what day the Prime Minister will return. If the right hon. Gentleman will be good enough to agree, I think we must have a little elasticity about that point, and while the whole House will, I am sure, be glad to see the Prime Minister back, I am equally sure that we would not wish him to be rushed back if there was advantage to the public interest in his staying a little longer.
§ Mr. EdenI quite agree. I am not suggesting rushing any one, but I also think that the House should not be rushed, and that after the Prime Minister has made his statement, it will be useful if we have an interval before we debate it.
§ Mr. MorrisonI am quite sympathetic to the point which the right hon. Gentleman is making, and I was not in any way criticising him or attacking him on his observation. I only wish to reserve the position because I cannot be sure exactly on which day the Prime Minister will come back.